The European Commission is developing a proposal for a new EU Economic Recovery Package aiming to ensure that the EU economy emerges from the current crisis in a strong competitive position compared to its global competitors. Europe’s technological excellence will be the decisive strategic factor to build Europe’s economic and industrial recovery, competitiveness, sustainability, digital capacity and resilience in the long run.

Accordingly, EARTO hereby brings forward a set of four recommendations on how to utilise the EU Economic Recovery Package to mobilise European RD&I capabilities and skills to create a resilient, sustainable, technologically sovereign and inclusive post COVID-19 era in Europe:

Create a strong support mechanism for public & private RD&I investments as key drivers of economic recovery and resilience, while focusing on the EU Green Deal’s targets, in line with the new EU Industrial and Digital Strategy.

Ensure that EU grant-based RD&I programmes will be an important part of the EU Economic Recovery Package to boost public & private RD&I investments.

Agree swiftly on a new the Multiannual Financial Framework prioritising future EU RD&I programmes such as Horizon Europe, as key support to a sustainable and inclusive growth and a revived industry in Europe.

Safeguard EU technology leadership and production sovereignty by developing a European strategy on technology infrastructures needed by key EU industrial ecosystems.

The current crisis demonstrates that there is an urgent need for a united European action targeting RD&I investments: RD&I investments have never been as important as they are today. Economic recovery will only be sustainable and inclusive in Europe if based on technology and innovation to ensure competitiveness of the European industry in the long run. The present crisis should not lead to postpone or downgrade EU ambitions on the green and digital transitions. Not only these two EU policies remain necessary, they are also a condition for the strengthening of Europe’s resilience, strategic sovereignty, and security of supply in critical goods and services. The need of the latest has been painfully highlighted by the current pandemic. European RTOs will be instrumental to the EU economic recovery if given the right instruments to do so by both their respective Member States and the EU: ambitious European and national RD&I investments are needed today.